The present invention relates generally to conveyors and, more particularly, to a deflector assembly attachable to an escalator, walkway, or conveyor to prevent accidental entrapment.
A safety hazard associated with escalators and other forms of moving walkways and conveyors is entrapment, specifically the potential for entrapment of the user, clothing articles, or other materials being, transported by the conveying means. Typically the entrapment occurs when an article such as an article of clothing (e.g., shoelace, pants cuff, dress hem, etc.) falls into the gap formed between the moving conveying) means (e.g., stair or sidewalk) and the side skirt. If the article becomes lodged. even temporarily, it may result in serious injury to the user and/or mechanical damage to the conveying means. Children are especially prone to accidents of this type due to the size of their clothing and appendages. Additionally, children are generally likely to be less cautious than adults while traveling on an escalator.
In order to reduce the likelihood of an entrapment accident, escalators and moving sidewalks are fabricated with minimal gaps between the assembly""s moving portions (e.g., escalator steps) and the side skirt. In addition, the operators of such assemblies subject them to frequent routine maintenance in order to maintain the gap within a preset range, thus insuring that the gap does not become excessive.
Another technique for minimizing entrapment accidents is to attach a brush guard to the side skirt. If the brush extends sufficiently from the side skirt, it is difficult for clothing or other suitably sized articles to fall within the escalator gap. Unfortunately, the guard may create a new hazard, namely the possibility of a user""s shoe or other clothing article becoming lodged between the guard base and the conveying means (e.g., escalator step).
What is needed in the art is an apparatus for minimizing the possibility of side step entrapment in an escalator, moving walkway, or other conveying means without creating a new hazard or limiting the usefulness of the conveying means. The present invention provides such an apparatus.
The present invention provides a flexible guard that can be easily attached to the side skirt of an escalator, moving walkway, or other conveying means, either during initial manufacture and set-up or during a subsequent system modification. The flexible guard of the present invention minimizes the possibility of side step entrapment without unduly limiting the usable width of the escalator/walkway/conveying means. Additionally, the flexible guard can be mounted close enough to the moving portions of the escalator/walkway/conveying means to minimize the possibility of guard entrapment.
According to the invention, the flexible guard includes one or more strips of bristles integrated into a flexible base. The base is attached to the side skirt of the escalator/walkway/conveyor means using any of a variety of mounting techniques such as screws, bolts, rivets, etc. In at least one embodiment of the invention, one or more light sources are integrated into the flexible base, the light sources illuminating the escalator steps/walkway/conveyor means.
A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention may be realized by reference to the remaining portions of the specification and the drawings.